The ramblings of a pilgrim through time, space, and life.

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Remember, Remember

Despite also being popular for Guy Fawkes Day which recently passed, Remember, Remember also relates to Remembrance Day, Armistice Day, or as we treat it in the United States, Veterans Day. As an American, the day is more a holiday than a solemn occasion of reflection or remembrance. Nevertheless, I thought I would honor it this week.

Arlington National Cemetery, Nov 2005

Interestingly, we find many people signing up for secession from the United States. I find it interesting that Guy Fawkes Day and Remembrance Day are so close on the calendar and their memorable phrases start with the same repetition of the word “Remembrance”. We seceded from the empire of Great Britain (which used to celebrate Empire Day on 24 May) and won the battle so secession became a legal right in the new colony. Then part of that new colony seceded and lost the battle so secession was no longer a legal right. The battle over secession is 1-1 on our soil but the latest precedent is against it. Our Declaration of Independence is not a legally binding document, but it certainly underlines the presumption of which the nation was founded, and overturned in the Civil War.

Arlington National Cemetery, Nov 2005

Either way, we honor the veterans on both sides of those conflicts in this nation. It just depends on where you live for which side you might feel a little more inclination. Here in the west, we really acceded into the United States rather than won our right to be a part of this nation. The French and Indian, 1812, and Civil War don’t mean much to us in Idaho.

Arlington National Cemetery, Virginia, Nov 2005

When it comes to the world wars of our century, we have a part to play. Plus it certainly helps to have people we personally know who served and fought in these battles. Most of us know people who lost loved ones in these two wars. Hence these wars and accompanying veterans are more honored at present. In these wars we fought against forced accession into whatever nation was seeking to obtain.

World War II monument, National Mall, Washington, DC, Nov 2005

Then we found ourselves during Korea and Vietnam in what is named the Cold War. We fought against forced accession by nations we did not agree with (we ignored the rest) but also sought to help other nations secede and ultimately become free and independent. We helped win that battle with the freedom of nations that were under the control of the United Soviet Socialist Republic. Elsewhere in the world, Belgium, Portugal, Germany, and the United Kingdom continued to allow other nations to become independent and we supported that movement.

American policy and law is less than clear on what exactly our position is on secession. The national mood towards our veterans does not even seem to be as clear cut as it has been in times past. A divide continues to build. I am not really sure over what. Whether we are for or against secession, those who are willing to fight for that right, rightly or wrongly, deserve our honor. After all, far too many of them gave the greatest sacrifice a person can give. We find it much more noble when a person voluntarily gives their life (whether they live or die) than those who are not allowed to choose to do so (but not to diminish their sacrifice). I honor our veterans because of what they give and those who give their all. Remember, those who live beyond the conflict still have to live with it the rest of their lives. May we honor all veterans who fight for their cause (are terrorists veterans?).